A protest took place in front of the Russian Embassy in Bangkok on Friday (25 February 2022) to protest Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, after Russian forces entered Ukraine on Thursday (24 February 2022), targeting Kyiv, the Ukrainian capital, and other major cities.

Protesters in front of the Russian Embassy on Friday afternoon (Photo by Chanakarn Laosarakham/iLaw)

A small crowd gathered in front of the Russian Embassy in Bangkok in the afternoon, holding the Ukrainian national flag and signs saying “Stop War, Stop Putin,” “We want Peace,” “No war,” and “#StopRussianAggression.” Protesters also shouted “Hands off Ukraine” and “Stop Putin.”

Several Thai activist groups, such as the gender equality network Feminist’s Liberation Front Thailand, and the student activist group Mokeluang Rimnam, also joined the protest. Activists were seen holding signs saying “Make love not war” and “Stop war.”

A Thai supporter joining the protest told Mob Data that they are standing with the Ukrainian people against war and violence.

“It’s not about nations, but it’s everyone’s job to stand together in hard times,” they said.

Meanwhile, a Ukrainian expat told the Reporters during a live broadcast that Ukraine is a sovereign nation, which cannot be violated by force, and that fighting has spread from the borders to other areas of the country, including the capital. He said that the death toll is now in the hundreds, and that civilian buildings have been damaged, so he wanted to call on the Russian President Vladimir Putin to immediately end the war and return peace to Ukraine.

Another Ukrainian expat said that her family could not leave the country and does not want to leave their homeland, so they are hiding in their basement and trying to collect food and water. She said that, even though she is scared, she is confident that Ukraine will prevail, since Russia’s invasion is not justified.

The expat said that she is proud to be Ukrainian, and that she is protesting to demand that Russia end its war. She also said that she hopes the world will be closely following the situation, since peace is not just a Ukrainian issue but an issue for the whole world.

(Photo by Chanakarn Laosarakham/iLaw)

During the protest, a small unit of police officers stood in front of the Embassy entrance, which was barricaded with metal fences. There have also been reports that the police ordered increased security around the Ukrainian and Russian embassies, and are prepared to provide additional security if requested by the embassies.